The former MAGMA and ZAO pianist has now gone solo displaying the entire scope of his fabulous talent as a pianist with his skilled lyrical, delicate, clear and expressive playing. Following in the footsteps of other pianists who have gone on from jazz to produce a profoundly original and personal music full of sensibility, Francois CAHEN, like Keith JARRETT or Chick COREA, has created a very refined sensitive and delicate music.
| LP | Piano Concerts | (Le Chant du Monde LDX 74588) | 1976 |
| LP | Tendre Piano Solo | (Free Bird FLY 02) | 1978 |
| LP | Thank you Friends | (w/D. LOCKWOOD - Atlantic WEA) | 1978 |
| LP | Great Winds | (Trema 310 069) | 1979 |
| LP | Ethnic Duo | (w/Y. SEFFER - Blue Marge BM 1004) | 1981 |
| LP | Piano reves | (Cryonic MAD 3019) | 1986 |
| SP | Ballade pour l'ete/Chanson en rond | (Les 3 Oranges Bleues 6010.222) | 1980 |
This guitarist is one of a new generation of french guitarists who refuse to be classed once and for all as jazz-rock musicians and who offer a music which goes beyond the stereotypes inherent in this style. Philippe CAILLAT also refuses to be an idol of demonstrative guitar playing so he can go his own original way, close to that of Alain ECKERT, and offers a musical synthesis which is expressive and suggestive creating a strange and anguished atmosphere evocative of Terje RYPDAL or Mac LAUGHIN on "Devotion".
| LP | French Connection, dirty Rats | (Ja & Ro 003) | 1981 |
| LP | Fire Brigade | (Thirdway TW 001) | 1983 |
CARIBOU represented a parallel formation to the group CORTEX whose leader Alain MION was also the driving force behind this formation which only recorded one single.
| SP | California/Stevie | (Arabella WEA 911121-17276EA) | 1977 |
CARPE DIEM, a group from the Crypto stable (MONA LISA, PENTACLE..) and part of ANGE's generation, differs from ANGE by the importance the group gives to the search for melodies and by the beauty of the music to the detriment of the words. Their mainly instrumental albums show their capacities as arrangers, composers and orchestrators and are masterpieces of finesse, invention and spontaneity evoking CAMEL's Snow Goose or that sophisticated english school which plays a light and subtle chamber rock (CARAVAN, FRUUP..). Their albums, however, bear the mark of their own personality and their french and mediterranean culture. Excellent progressive rock.
| LP | En regardant passer le temps | (Arcane 913051) | 1975 |
| LP | Cueille le jour | (Crypto ZAL 6403) | 1976 |
A newcomer on the electronic rock scene, Sylvain CARREL presents the kind of electronic rock which reminds one of the best works of the German band CLUSTER, with, however, a more pronounced fondness for delicate, beautiful, elegant melodies, perfectly enhanced by his qualities as a keyboardist and inspired composer.
| LP | Look over the Nile | (SFPP S.3047) | 1984 |
This jazz-rock group from Metz is part of that tense and energetic jazz-rock wave represented by groups like LIFETIME or MAHAVISHNU early in its career with their pulsating rhythms and devastating sax and guitar solos. A frenzied, fiery music.
| LP | High Dynamic | (Etonnantes Music GC 911) | 1982 |
Roland BOCQUET's group, originally inspired by PINK FLOYD managed to break away rapidly from this influence to create its own beautiful, delicate and elegant music with an ethereal atmosphere inviting the listener to dream and travel and with its own exceptional, attractive organ music, strange rhythms and surprising melodic developments. Despite its great qualities, CATHARSIS remained under-estimated and little known. It is nevertheless one of the best French groups from the early seventies with an undeniable personality and a very attractive, delicate music.
| LP | Masq | (Saravah SH 10.025) | 1971 |
| LP | Les Chevrons | (Saravah SH 10.035) | 1972 |
| LP | Rimbaud, c'est toi | (Pathe-Marconi 064.114.73/74) | 1972 |
| LP | Pop poemes | (Pathe-Marconi/PES 528.002) | 1973 |
| LP | 32 Mars | (Festival FLD 652) | 1975 |
| LP | Illuminations | (Festival FLD 655) | 1975 |
| LP | Le bolero du veau des Dames | (Festival FLD 676) | 1976 |
| LP | Et s'aimer et mourir | (Festival FLD 678) | 1976 |
| LP | The Best of Catharsis | (Sterne STE 26507) | |
| LP | Catharsis | (Soleil Masque SMA 33004) | |
| SP | Masq/4 Art 6 | (Saravah SH 40.031) | 1971 |
| SP | 32 Mars/Chelum | (Saravah SH 40.030) | 1971 |
| SP | Les Chevrons/Solstice | (Saravah SH 40.042) | 1972 |
| SP | Tunnel extatique | ||
| SP | La Ballade des pendus/La mort des amants | (Pathe/PES 451) | |
| SP | Illuminations/Le temps des cerises | (Pathe/PES 451.061) | |
| SP | Mignonne, allons voir/Poemes du XVIIe | (Pathe/PES 451.149) | |
| SP | En revenant de noces/Democratie | (Pathe/PES) | |
| SP | Le canard blanc/Aube | (Pathe/PES) |
Philippe CAUVIN presents utterly original and unique music, embracing elements of classical, medieval and contemporary music, as well as folk, rock and jazz. Nicknamed the "Martian troubadour", he elaborates and develops some very polished and pure melodies, which are sometimes stamped with melancholy, always strange and powerful, and on which the modulations of his counter-tenor voice unite with and are superposed upon the delicate and sensual chords of his acoustic guitar. Philippe CAUVIN weaves a music which is refined, ethereal, sensitive and poetical, overflowing with imagery and colour, mixing his guttural and onomatopoeic singing with the baroque and heavenly sonorities of his guitar to produce some unclassifiable and bewitching music which is surely some of the most original ever invented in our galaxy.
| LP | "Climage" | (Ki Records KC 1111) | 1982 |
| LP | Memento | (Komono/Ki Records DEL 168) | 1984 |
| 1 titre sur l'album "12 pour 1" | (AAA A01) | 1982 |
Four old hands at french rock and jazz, namely CECCARELLI, CHANTEREAU, PADOVAN and PEZIN who offer a jazzy, funky music which lacks originality but is well played. It sometimes evokes NUCLEUS or the american school of jazz-rock (COBHAM, C0REA, DUKE...).
| LP | C.C.P.P. | (Flamophone/polydor 2933 104) | 1976 |
The former drummer of the "CHAUSSETTES NOIRES"
| LP | CECCARELLI | (Carla CAR 500.002) | 1977 |
| LP | Andre CECCARELLI | (JMS 014) | 1981 |
Sometimes more enigmatically introduced only as Bernard C. ; great manipulator of electronics, close to Illusion Production with whom he shares this liking for surprising sleeves.
| EP | Socialist Realism | (IP 008) | 1982 |
| LP | Lieu magique | (IP 021) | 1985 |
A farmer member of {COMINTERN, Pascal CHASSIN, along with other musicians from this group, made a single after years of silence. Provocation and derision have, however, remained unchanged in his music which is reminiscent of CAN with this pronounced taste for caricature and musical diversion: ersatz reggae, ersatz synthetic disco, monotonous KRAFTWERK-style vocals.
| SP | La nouvelle Europeenne/Don Juan 80 | (Ballon Noir BAL 45004) | 1979 |
Former X-TET bassist and keyboardist, Remi CHAUDAGNE released a solo album on which he performs several themes solely on bass or with other musicians (sax, keyboards, vibraphone). He offers a contrasted modern jazz which is based on a certain research into sounds and on the connection and combination between the well used instruments both perfectly and cleverly exploited by the studio.
| LP | L'Ile des temps | (RSC 101) | 1984 |
This group from Bordeaux, in which Xavier JOUVELET played, released two progressive folk-rock albums in the same vein as the Canadian group HARMONIUM. Their music is full of nice, perfectly played, elaborate, arranged and very polished melodies, superbly enhanced by the refined work of excellent musicians and by the careful vocals of Marie, their female singer, with her crystal-clear and very pure voice. A clever and delicate music.
| LP | Chemin Blanc | (RCA PL 37010) | 1976 |
| LP | Chemin Blanc | (Hexagone 883 016) | 1977 |
The theatrical company "CHENE NOIR" inspired by the experience of groups like the PRINCIPAL MAGIC EDWARDS THEATRE decided to set its shows to music. It thus offered the audience its texts accompanied and perfectly enhanced by music which is rich and original, not only because of the variety of instruments used (flute, cello, vibes, brass, synthesizers...) but also because of the musicians inspired playing.
| LP | Aurora | (Futura Voix 01) | 1971 |
| LP | Chant pour le Delta, la Lune et le Soleil | (Disques Chene Noir C.N.001) | 1976 |
| LP | Orphee 2000 | (Disques Chene Noir C.N.002) | 1977 |
| SP | Miss Madonna | (Disques Chene Noir) | 1973 |
After a first anecdotal solo album in the form of a fairytale, with short instrumental passages, ETRON FOU's drummer has joined up with Sophie JAUSSERAND to make a second album which is more musical and closer to the music of his group.
| LP | Arthur et les robots | (SAP 305) | 1982 |
| LP | A l'abri des micro-climats | (Rec.Rec Music 07) | 1984 |
A former member of the group ZIG-ZAG and former bassist with MAGMA under the name of Gorgo, Jean-Luc CHEVALIER has now produced his first solo album on which he plays some ethereal jazz-rock not far removed from the best ECM productions, except that the icy aesthetics cherished by this record company have been replaced by real original inspiration, joined to intelligent virtuosity and an unusual power of instrument-playing, amply backed up by "Popof" CHEVALIER on drums (and sax) and by Marc ELIARD (of MAGMA) on bass. This album enables us to appreciate the inventive and highly refined playing of Jean-Luc CHEVALIER and to rediscover the entire scope of the talent of the flutist Pascal VANDENBULKE (ex DUN).
| LP | Jean-Luc CHEVALIER | (Cryonic MAD 3013) | 1985 |
This name conceals Claude PUTERFLAM, founder of the Flamophone label and hit singer under his own name, and who recorded this single with SYSTEME CRAPOUTCHIK's musicians and future SANDROSE members. This record includes only one composition who is presented in vocal and in instrumental version and which later appeared under the title "Old Dom is dead" on SANDROSE's album.
| SP | Mea Culpa (vocal)/Mea Culpa (instrumental) | (Flamophone FLAM 4503) | 1970 |
Three singles to its credit; the first one, released in '80, is particularly interesting and in the same vein as ATOLL. As far as the other two are concerned, they are resolutely more commercial making concessions to variety.
| SP | Race/La gomme et le taille crayon | (Europ Melodie 80002) | 1980 |
| SP | Gueule de crapaud/Vous trouvez que j'suis bel' | (Europ Melodie 82002) | 1982 |
| SP | J'voudrais bien qu'on m'aime/En funambule du 7eme ciel | (Jonathan/Atoll Music 8215327) | 1984 |
A jazz-rock group bursting with energy composed of talented instrumentalists (Olivier HUTMAN, Mino CINELU, Denis BARBIER...) who offers a refined and cool jazz-rock in which saxophone and flute are prominent creating a sunny, Latin sound evocative of NUCLEUS or PAZ. A considerable maturity and a great deal of musical virtuosity have been put at the disposal of excellent compositions, brilliantly interpreted by inspired musicians. Very smooth and refreshing.
| LP | Chute Libre | (Pathe 2C.066-14.359) | 1977 |
| LP | Ali Baba | (Pathe 2C.068-14.522) | 1978 |
Cyrille VERDEAUX's group began by following in the footsteps of Mike OLFIELD but managed not to lose its own personality. The group produced a mainly instrumental music which was both beautiful and dreamlike, alternating soothing and serene atmospheres with more violent, more tormented passages, sometimes drifting towards a delicate cosmic floating rock. Cyrille VERDEAUX offers a music perfectly constructed, arranged and composed on which are playing such impressive and talented musicians and guests as C. BOULE, S. HILLAGE, D. CROSS, D. LOCKWOOD, D. MALHERBE, who brought out the best in his compositions and his original style. On top of this, Cyrille VERDEAUX turns out to be an excellent pianist, with a refined, romantic and lyrical style.
| LP | Clearlight Symphony | (Virgin XBLY 840.067) | 1975 |
| LP | Forever blowing Bubbles | (Virgin XBLY 840.098) | 1975 |
| LP | Les contes du singe fou | (Isadora ISA 9009) | 1977 |
| LP | Visions | (Polydor 2393 185) | 1978 |
| LP | Messenger of Che Son | (Catero Records CAT 008) | 1985 |
Andre FERTIER's group is part of that "natural floating" wave which rejects synthesizers and any other electronic dream makers. Using only acoustic instruments (and with the aid of a symphonic orchestra for its second LP) CLIVAGE creates a passionate music which blends classical, jazz, rock and ethnic sounds (Iran, the East, Africa) and thus places the group halfway between the THIRD EAR BAND's experiences and OREGON'S more recent music. Exotic flavours and high quality acoustics.
| LP | Regina Astris | (Gratte Ciel 2003) | 1977 |
| LP | Mixtus Orbis | (Gratte Ciel 2009) | 1979 |
| LP | Kassiopee | (FLVM 3073) | 1985 |
A quartet - sax, piano, bass, drums- whose music is inspired not only from jazz but from South American music as well. Xavier COBO, leader and saxophonist of this group, presents some well-arranged melodies which make pleasant listening, and on top of that, he obviously enjoys playing this music.
| LP | Senor Vargas | (Open/Jazzibao JZ 05) | 1984 |
After the guitarist Claude OLMOS left ALICE, he founded a new group and started playing a solid, straightforward rock based around percussion instruments played by Laurent MARINO and around the leader's inspired and energetic interventions on guitar.
| LP | Wakan Tanka | (BYG 529.018) | 1971 |
| SP | Le cocotier Partie 1/Le cocotier partie 2 | (BYG 129.026) | 1971 |
| SP | Wakan Tanka/Ellocia | (BYG 129.033) | 1971 |
Jean COHEN-SOLAL offers a very original music
| LP | Flutes libres | (Sonopresse ) | 1972 |
| LP | Captain Tarthopom | (Connection CTN 69.569) | 1973 |
| SP | Cyclical Game/Raga du matin | (Sonopresse Daphy DY 901) | 1972 |
A jazz-rock group from Montpellier offering a nice sunny sound, well played, which is based on a dialogue between the guitar and the keyboards, with interventions from the saxophone. This music is close to some Italian or Spanish works.
| LP | Coincïdence | (Tromblas RY 1133) | 1978 |
| LP | Clef de ciel | (Village 100 255 251) | 1979 |
Laurent COKELEARE who was playing the bass guitar with NEFFESH MUSIC, the group founded by Yochk'o SEFFER (ex MAGMA and ZAO), backed by a full band, offers on his first album some jazzy music built around the movements of the different sections and the various interventions of the gifted soloists of his big band, in a tradition very close to that of English big bands (NUCLEUS, Mike GIBBS, Neil ARDLEY). On the other hand on his second album with the group MINIGRUEL, a smaller formation, he offers a music halfway between Hermeto PASCOAL and WEATHER REPORT. A talented and inspired composer and musician.
| LP | Coke Tales | (Caravage CRV 66031) | 1984 |
| LP | Minigruel en concert | (Caravage 66270) | 1985 |
Pascal COMELADE's original experiences are hard to classify because his music changes from one album to another even though it is always resolutely surprising and inventive. He is following his own very eclectic musical desires exploring very different musical sounds, going from repetitive experimental music through a desire to minimize, pastiche and musical caricature and even musical diversion (ersatz disco etc.). He also explores all possible horizons and intermediary borderlines between these different kinds of music.
| LP | Paralello | (Parasite Records Par 002) | 1980 |
| LP | Fall of Saigon | (Atem 7013) | 1981 |
| LP | Slow Musics | 1981 | |
| LP | Sentimentos | (DYS Records) | 1982 |
| LP | Detail monochrome | (DSA 2001) | 1984 |
| EP | Ready made | (Parasite Records Par 004) | 1981 |
| SP | Sequences paiennes | (Parasite Records Par 001) | 1978 |
| 1 titre sur la compilation "12 pour 1" | (AAA A01) | 1982 |
Along with Colin SWINBURNE (ex BACHDENKEL), Francois CAHEN formed COMPLOT; this formation marks his return to the use of electric keyboards and on this record, he presents a clean, elegant jazz funk bursting with energy and vitality.
| Maxi SP | Red Light/Has to be | (Promo Polydor 811 704-1) | 1983 |
| SP | Red Light/Has to be | (Polydor 811 704-7) | 1983 |
This name conceals Philippe GAILLOT, a guitarist from the South-West and founder of this jazz-rock group. Like some other guitarists (P. CAILLAT, A. ECKERT...) Philippe GAILLOT refuses to turn towards a technical and demonstrative jazz-rock and offers an original, varied, inventive music, full of finesse as in the diversity of the line-ups used (from duo to more complex formations), in the arrangements or as in the combination of themes. This group plays themes with elaborate and unusual constructions and developments perfectly enhanced by a great musical assurance and virtuosity. Sometimes, their music tends towards a humoristic jazz-rock in the same vein as PANTINCRUEL's first album.
| LP | Avis de passage | (Metro Records JB 101) | 1983 |
An open, intelligent, mainly acoustic music, in the same vein as CLIVAGE, which is inspired by different kinds of music (jazz, Arabian music, etc..) and offers an original cocktail both colourful and full of spice with swinging tempos. A lively, exotic sound with inventive soloists (Jean-Charles CAPON on cello, Jean QUERLIER of CLIVAGE). CONFLUENCE is a group with a style evocative of string and woodwind orchestras such as OREGON, Paul WINTER, DO'A.
| LP | 4 Voyages | (RCA FLP | 10132) | 1976 |
| LP | Arkham | (Balance RCA PL 37109) | 1977 | |
| LP | Chroniques terrestres | (Balance RCA PL 37239) | 1979 |
This "super group" composed of musicians from different well known folk groups (MALICORNE, GENTIANE) with the heLP
| LP | La Confr©rie des Fous | (Ballon Noir BAL 13.008) | 1979 |
Close to SOFT MACHINE during its jazzy period (3rd, 4th and 5th albums), CONTREPOINT only recorded one track on the "Puissance 13 + 2" compilation. This track was greatly inspired by SOFT MACHINE'S music with a nice jazzy energy.
| 1 titre sur la compilation "Puissance 13 + 2" | (Theleme-Philips 6641 037) | 1972 |
Alain MION's group plays a funky, very swinging, melodious, polished, perfectly constructed and arranged jazz rock. The female singer's vocals, the keyboards' style and the saxophone's interventions on "Troupeau bleu" evoke ZAO's first album. On the later albums, CORTEX still carries on in this musical direction whilst becoming more funky, developing its music around Alain MION's inspired and attractive melodies.
| LP | Troupeau bleu | (Esperance ESP | 155 524) | 1975 |
| LP | Volume 2 | (Esperance ESP | 165 501) | 1977 |
| LP | Pourquoi? | (Crypto ZAL 6458) | 1978 | |
| Maxi SP | Devil's Dance/Mary & Jeff/Hurluberlu | (Esperance 18201) | 1979 | |
| SP | Mary & Jeff/L'enfant samba | (Esperance 155 012) | 1976 | |
| SP | Les oiseaux morts/Back to Life | (Esperance 155 017) | 1976 |
After having had some experiences in common, mainly with Jacques THOLLOT and John Mac LAUGHLIN, Francois COUTURIER (keyboards) and Jean-Paul CELEA (bass, double bass) discovered some mutual affinities and decided never to leave each other. Their first duo album offers an acoustic music. The second one, with a quintet reveals a much more electric music.
| LP | COUTURIER-CELEA | (JMS 010) | 1980 |
| LP | The Game | (JMS 023) | 1983 |
A recording of an electronic lyre: strange and supernatural sounds.
| LP | Danse dans le neant des grands dieux agiles | (Atelier Musical AM 001) | 1980 |
One of the very first French groups
| LP | A nice way of Life | (Egg 940 011) | 1970 |
| SP | Music Town/Mister Magoo | (Egg 641 001) | 1969 |
A jazzy big band in the same vein as modern jazz-rock big bands. Note the presence of flutist Philippe BOTTA (ex MA BANLIEUE FLASQUE), and Jean-Pierre THIRAULT (ex MAHJUN). Nice movements with fine interventions by the brass instruments.
| LP | Lumiere | (Open Jazzibao JZ 03) | 1983 |
| LP | Eaux Fortes | (EC0-LC1) | 1985 |